Gate control for filling columns



P 1952 v F. c. SIMON 2,611,465

GATE CONTROL'FOR FILLING COLUMNS I Filed July 18, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INV NTOR. W $14M Of'ornegs.

Sept. 23, 1952 F C 5|MON 2,611,465

' GATE CONTROL FOR FILLING COLUMNS Filed July 18, 1950 I 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 v g" 1 II/ENTOR. W M I Sept. 23, 1952 RC. SIMON 2,611,465

GATE CONTROL FOR FILLING COLUMNS Filed July 18, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet s a 5N V EN TOR.

p 1952 F. c. SIMON GATE CONTROL FOR FILLING COLUMNS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed July 18 1950 4? Q1 50 2'77 e gs.

Patented Sept. 23, 1952 GATECONTROL FOR FILLING GOLUMNS Forrest 0. Simon. Piqua, ohio ass ignor to 'lhe French 'Oil' Mill Machinery 'Companyfi Piqua,

.Application July. 18, 1950, Serial N0.-.174,422

11 Claims. ((11 1-93-82) This J .invention grelates ,to 3 gate .controls for Jfill'ing ;colums,1by which .measuredcharges of materials .may:be ,passed;,in succession along aff rming-passage. Gates of1th is.type areused'extensivelyrinfilling; columnsIf or solvent extractor devices. ."Eillingcolumns commonlylhave topand bottom gatesseparately operable .by. mechanical onhyidrauliemeans. "When thewbottom gates are oopene'd, .the opening. movement has been rapid ,ancLLthe material Jdischarge'dlor released by that -gate. drops sxiddehlyarid rapidly into anextractio-nlbasket. Thesudden dropping of the mate- ;ri'al causessomerofn it to.spill over the basket sides and the. ba'sketst-do. notIll-l evenly.

tAnVobje'ct-of this invention'is. to provide, an improved .controlj for gates for jfi-lling. columns .whio'hwill el'iminatesub'stantial, spilling of the materialscontrolled as they. are delivered to the baskets,whichwillcause evenfilling of the basikets whi'eh will not-objeotionally delay delivery of Lt'he materials'lto the baskets, which will not greatly. increasethe .c0st of the contr'ol which will cause.movementrofLthe g-ate in a. manner .to fd'e'liirerv acharge or materials, to. .a' basket as a stream 1'n contrast. to droppingithe materials sudden1yrinone .mass, an'dwhich willube relatively simple,practical andinexpensive.

ptherlobjects and advantages will beapparent .1 from .ithe following descriptionv of. some v,emloo'diments.of the linvention,,.and the novel features will'be particularly pointed out hereinafterin .connectionwithithe appended claims.

'In.;the. accompanyin idrawingsz .T-Fig.. .1 is lasidepelevationsof. .theffilling column 01313. solvent.extractonlhaving, ates. for-control- Lling; fiowof materialstoJo-e extracted therealong. one.,of L the ,gates being controlled, in accordance WiL'hLhiS invention;

Figmz-is. .a..sideelevati0n- .of a. portion of the same to..-show;the.; hesitation ..valve its. con- ..nection-to thegate;

. F.ig..,3. isqaneenlarged, .verticalssection ,of .the .hesitationvalve;

\Ei .4..-is .a .schematicl diagram .of the controls fonthe bottomgate;

Eig.-=5, isa sectional plan ofrthecam shaft and "va1ves,=-which form a part of the controls; and

.-.-Eig.: 6 is .an, endeleuationof the cam shaft: and malve. shown inFig. 5.

In the illustrated embodiment of the and-referring first particularly to Fig 1', the.appa -ratus includes-tanlupright filling column I .which 1 has-a passage .therethrough from endtoend, the .uppenendheing. connected to;-a bin-or other sup- ;ply/of loose:- solids; that-are to .be extracted; and 7 invention,

the bin'not shownibecause 'itfforms'no partcf the present invention. ,ThiscQIumn I is formed of sheet .metal or other suitable material, :and I is f rovidediadj acenttbut slightly'rbelowits top, with ag'pair of'horizontal' shafts-2 and*3- which are 'rockably'. mounted on axes in a horizontal plane. .Each shaft'within." the column carries "1a plate 4 extending" therefrom 7 so" that by rocking the. shafts. 2 andj3;.the platesi l .:mayi:be moved until: theyrmeet attheir' free endsyas shown in Figfil. "Byrchkingthe shafts'i and 3"in the opposite direction; the plates 4 may be separated into the position shown by the dot and .dashllines 4a. )The plates4:.and;.the .shaftsi 2 .andji3 form what maypbe referredto, as 13118117013 gate in this 'fillingcolumn. An armlis fixed .upon the shaft 2 to. extendjnadially therefrom, and a similanarm 1' 6 .is' fixed to, shaft; 3' to. extend radially therefrom. The free. ends of the arms 5,. and. 6 are .pivotally connectedbypins I. to a, connecting link'B,and the .armsfi andifisare in therelative positions shown iniIFign. 1 whenithenplatesill are in contactito Qclosethe gate. I

Also fixed, onfithe 'shaft'f2 another .arm 9 which carries-a counterweight.v 10 at its free end, and at an intermediatepoint' iti.is, pivotally connected by. a pin, I l .to, .ayoke I 2 which straddles "the ,arm. 9, with,the.pinl l l passing through the armsof .the yoke} l2. and Lthearm" 9. JIhe. yoke. 12, at. its. baseora cross part... is ladjustably connected, such as by threading, to. apiston rod l iwhich extends. througha stuffing box. 14. int0=a cylinder Hithat is. closed at both. ends. .The eylinderl 151s hollow and. within it the inner. endof. the piston rod I l3 .islprovided .with;a.piston= I6 whicheis .s'omewhat ..1ike.=a cylinder of a..steam ,or ,gasolene. engine. .The. piston is l preferably provided .4 with piston rings. .to :proyideoa slidingnseal Joe- 7 tweenits periphery landv the cylinder wall. -Fipes I l and Head toopposite ends;of--.the cyl-inder ltl for supplying operating fluid-thereto orreleasing it. therefrom. v

.The cylinder 1515 received- -betw-een the; arms of. a yoke 9, .andst'he. cylinderhastrunnlons: 2 0 at diametricallysoppositesides.of its midlength whichrare. rockably. mounted, in the .arms of 1 the 1 yoke l9. -.The ,yokel9,-.at its base ,-or, crosspart, .isan-chored to the. column. I vBy: admitting oper- =-atingcfiuid to opposite ends :of thescylinder l5, that-piston l 6 may; Joe caused to reciprocate? and cause {the plates 4" to -roek-,-between ,open and 1 ...close.d,positions.

:Below the. tQp -gate inp the. fillingcolumn,.,-a-nd v.spaced .therefrom, .ziS a -.-bo.ttom gate swhich is formed .-of.p1ates .2 l. similanto the. platesst. -One of these plates 2| is attached to a shaft 22 which is rockably mounted in the housing in a horizontal position at one side of the passage through column The other plate 2| is attached to a shaft 23 similarly rockably mounted at the opposite side of the passage through the column I. The plates 2| are downwardly inclined with their free ends substantially abutting, as shown in Fig. 1, when the bottom gate is closed, and when the shafts 22 and 23 are rocked in the proper direction, the plates 2| swing downwardly into the dot and dash positions 2|a, which represent the open position of the bottom gate. An arm 24 is fixed upon the shaft 22 and extends radially therefrom and generally toward the shaft 23. A similar arm 25 is fixed upon the shaft 23 and extends radially therefrom. The free ends of the arms 24 and 25 are pivotally connected by pins 26 to the ends of a connecting link 21 which serves to connect the arms 24 and 25 in the angular relationship shown in Fig. 1, when the plates 2| are meeting at their free ends.

Another arm 28 is fixed upon the shaft 23 to rock therewith, and the free end of this arm 28 carries a counterweight 29 which is adjustable into different positions along the end of the arm in order to vary its turning torque on the shaft 23. A yoke 30 straddles the arm 28 between the weight 29 and the shaft 23, and a pivot pin 3| extends through the arms of the yoke 30 and the arm 28 so as to pivotally connect the yoke to the arm. The yoke, at its base or cross part, is threaded to one end of a piston rod 32. The rod 32 extends upwardly from the yoke and through a stuffing gland 33 into the chamber of cylinder 34, which is closed at both ends. Within the cylinder 34, the piston rod 32 carries a piston or piston head 35 which resembles the piston l6, and it also carries a plurality of piston rings on its periphery which engage the inner wall of the cylinder 34 and provide a sliding seal between the piston and the cylinder wall. Pipes 36 and 3! are connected to the opposite ends of the cylinder 34 so as to supply operating fluid to the chamber of the cylinder 34 at opposite sides of the piston 35.

The cylinder 34 is disposed between the arms of a yoke 38, the trunnions 39 on diametrically opposite sides of the cylinder 34 pass through the arms of a yoke 38 and are rockably mounted therein so that while the piston 34 is held in the yoke 33, it is free to rock about the axis of the trunnion 39. The yoke 38, at its base or cross part, is also attached to the filling column The piston 35 and cylinder 34 thus serve to rock the shafts 22 and 23 in directions to close the gate or open it. The column I at its bottom is convergingly tapered at 45 so as to direct loose solids released by the gate, as a stream, that may be delivered to the baskets of an extractor or for any other purpose.

Secured on the side of the column I, between the top and bottom gates, is a hesitation valve 4|, having a passage 42 therethrough from end to end. A valve rod 43 extends through the valve 4| and from both ends thereof, and the ends of the valve casing through which the rod 43 passes may be suitably packed to retard leakage along the rod 43. The rod 43 reciprocates endwise in the passage 42, and in the portion always within the passage 42 the rod 43 is reduced in diameter, as at 44. The housing of the valve 4| is provided with ports 45 and 46 which are spaced apart along the length of the passage 42 by a distance not greater than the leng h f 4 the reduced portion 44, so that the rod 43 may, in one position, place the reduced portion 44 in a position to connect the ports 45 and 46, as shown in Fig. 1.

When the rod 43 moves downwardly from that position, the reduced portion 44 will move out of alinement with the port 45 and close the passage between the ports 45 and 46, and this disconnection of ports 45 and 46 will continue as the valve rod 43 continues to move downwardly. The lower end of the rod 43 is threaded at 41 into a coupling 48, and secured in adjusted position in the coupling 48 by a lock nut 49 which is threaded on the end 41 to engage against the end of the coupling 48. The lower end of the coupling 48 is pivotally connected to the upper end of a link 50, see Fig. 2, by a pivotal coupling pin 5|. The lower end of the link 50 is forked and straddles the arm 25 on the shaft 23 between its ends, and is pivotally connected thereto by a pin 52. Thus, as the arm 25 rocks downwardly from the position shown in Fig. 1, it will pull the rod 43 downwardly in the valv 4|. The pivotal couplings 5| and 52 allow the pin 52 to follow the arcuate path of travel withthe arm 25 while the valve rod 43 reciprocates endwise.

Referring next to Fig. 4, the port 45 is connected by a pipe 36 to the lower end of the cylinder 34, and the port 45 of valve 4| is connected by a pipe 53 to one port of a control valve 54, similar in construction to the well known 4-way reversing valve used to control double-acting hydraulic rams. Another port of the valve 54 is connected by the pipe 3'! to the upper end of the cylinder 34. The pipes H and I8 that are connected to opposite ends of the cylinder l5 are connected to different ports of a control valve 55 similar to valve 54. Another valve 56 also similar to valve 54 has one port connected by a pipe 51 to the pipe 36 between the hesitation valve 4| and the cylinder 34, and has another port thereof connected by a pipe 58 to the pipe 31. Each of the valves 54, 55 and 56 has a central port connected to a pipe 59, and these pipes 59 are connected together and to a source of operating fluid under pressure (not shown). These valves 54, 55 and 56 may be common threeway valves, and each has a reciprocating valve element 60 which is shiftable endwise within the valve housing but extends outwardly for operation.

When the valve element 60 is moved endwise in one direction, it connects its pipe 53 to one of the ports of that valve and vents the other port, and when moved in the opposite direction, it vents the first mentioned port and connects the pipe 59 to the other port which had previously been vented. Thus, the valve serves to direct operating fluid under pressure alternately to opposite ends of one of the operating cylinders. For example, the valve 54 serves to deliver operating fluid under pressure alternately to opposite ends of the cylinder 34, so as to move the piston 35 endwise and open or close th bottom gate. The valve 55 serves to deliver operating fluid under pressure alternately to opposite ends of the cylinder l5 so as to move the piston l6 endwise and open or close the top gate, depending upon the direction of the movement of the piston l6.

It will be noted that the valve 56 also delivers operating fluid under pressure alternately to opposite ends of the cylinder 34 independently of the hesitating valve. The-hesitating valve controls the movement of operating fluid from valve from said hesitating valve, and a connection for supplying operating fluid under pressure to each valve, whereby when said lower gate is caused to open by operation of its related control valve, it will partly open and stop until said auxiliary valve is operated to bypass said hesitating valve and cause continued opening of said lower gate to fully open position.

2. A filling device comprising a generally upright filling conduit, upper and lower gates spaced apart along said conduit and individually operable between open and closed positions to control flow of materials along said conduit, an individual, fluid operated motor for each gate to operate it between open and closed position, a valve controlled, hydraulic circuit for each motor, a hesitating valve in serie in the motor circuit that causes an opening of said lower gate and connected for operation by said lower gate from open position when the lower gate is closed, to closed position when the lower gate is partly closed, and movable further as the lower gate moves to fully open position, an auxiliary circuit for bypassing fluid around said hesitating valve, and an auxiliary valve controlling said auxiliary circuit.

3. A fillin device comprising a generally upright filling conduit, upper and lower gates spaced apart along said conduit and individually operable between open and closed positions to control flow of materials along said conduit, an individual, fluid operated motor for each gate to operate it between open and closed position, a valve controlled, hydraulic circuit for each motor,

a hesitating valve in series in the motor circuit that causes an opening of said lower gate and connected for operation by said lower gate from open position when the lower gate is closed, through closed position when the lower gate is partially closed, and to a further position when the lower gate is moved to fully open position, an auxiliary circuit for bypassing fluid around said hesitating valve, an auxiliary valve controlling said auxiliary circuit, a cam shaft mounted for rotation, and a plurality of cams on and rotating with said shaft and operating said valves in a desired sequence.

4. A filling device comprising a generally upright filling conduit, a gate movable between a closed position, a partially, but not fully open position, and a fully open position, to control the flow of materials along said conduit, a fluid. operated motor connected to said gate to cause its operation in opposite direction, a fluid circuit including said motor to operate it, a controlling valve in said circuit, a hesitating valve in series in said circuit and having three positions in one of which it is open and in the others it is closed, said hesitating valve being connected to said gate for operation thereby,-from open position when the gate is closed to closed position when the gate is partly, but not fully open, and when fully open, whereby when said gate is closed. operating fluid to open the gate may pass through said hesitating valve to said motor, and when the gate is partly open the hesitating valve is closed to stop the opening movement of the gate, and a valve controlled auxiliary circuit for bypassing said hesitating valve when said valve is in closed position to cause continued opening movement of said gate.

5. A filling device comprising a generally upright filling conduit, a gate movable between a closed position, a partially, but not fully open position, and a fully open position, to control the flow of materials along said conduit, a fluid operated motor connected to said gate to cause its operation in opposite direction, a fluid circuit including said motor to operate it, a controlling valve in said circuit, a hesitating valve in series in said circuit and having three positions in one of which it is open and in the others it is closed, said hesitating valve being connected to said gate for operation thereby, from open position when the gate is closed to closed position when the gate is partly, but not fully open, and when fully open, whereby when said gate is closed, operating fluid to open the gate may pass through said hesitating valve to said motor, and when the gate is partly open the hesitating valve is closed to stop the opening movement of the gate, a valve controlled auxiliary circuit for bypassing said hesitating valve when said valve is in closed position to cause continued opening movement of said gate, and means for operating said valves in a desired sequence.

6. A filling device comprising a generally upright filling conduit, a gate movable between a closed position, a partially, but not fully open position, and a fully open position to control the flow of materials along said conduit, a fluid operated motor connected to said gate to cause its operation in opposite direction, a fluid circuit including said motor to operate it, a controlling valve in said circuit, a hesitating valve in series in said circuit, and having three positions in one of which it is open and in the others it is closed. said hesitating valve being connected to said gate for operation thereby, from open position when the gate is closed to closed position when the gate is partly, but not fully open, and when fully open, whereby when said gate is closed, operating fluid to open the gate may pass through said hesitating valve to said motor, and when the gate is partly open the hesitating valve is closed to stop the opening movement of the gate, a rotatable cam shaft, a plurality of cams on and rotatin with said shaft, one of said cams operating said controlling valve, an auxiliary valve operated by another. of said cams, and an auxiliary circuit from said auxiliary valve to said motor and bypassing said hesitating valve, whereby after said gate has been partially opened by said motor and stopped by operation of said hesitating valve, the subsequent operation of said auxiliary valve may cause further operation of said motor to fully open the gate.

7. A filling device comprising a generally upright filling conduit, a gate movable between closed, partially open and fully open positions to control the flow of materials along said conduit, a power actuated motor connected to said gate to cause its operation in opposite directions between said positions, power circuits connected to said motor to deliver operatin power thereto and cause its operation in opposite directions selectively, a selectively operable controller for delivering power alternately to said circuits to cause the operation of said motor, a hesitating control element in series in that power circuit which is active while the motor is bein operated toward open position, connected to said gate for operation thereby, and operable by said gate from an open position when the lower gate is closed, into a position in which it stops delivery of power to said motor when the gate is partially but not fully open, and into a further position when the lower gate moves into fully open position, a bypass circuit connected to said motor to deliver power to said motor in place of that interrupted by said hesitating element to cause resumption of operation of said motor, and further movement of said gate into fully open position, and a selectively operable controller for said bypass circuit.

8. A filling device comprisin a generally upright filling conduit, a gate movable between closed, partially open and fully open positions to control the flow of materials along said conduit, a power actuated motor connected to said gate to cause its operation in opposite directions between said positions, power circuits connected to said motor to deliver operating power thereto and cause its operation in opposite directions selectively, a selectively operable controller for delivering power alternately to said circuits to cause the operation of said motor, a hesitating control element in series in that power circuit which is active while the motor is being operated toward open position, connected to said gate for operation thereby as the gate moves from closed to fully open position, and operable by said gate into an intermediate position in which it stops delivery of power to said motor when the gate is partially, but not fully open, a bypass circuit connected to said motor to deliver power to said motor in place of that interrupted by said hesitating element to cause resumption of operation of said motor and further movement of said gate into fully open position, a selectively operable controller for said bypass circuit, and a cam shaft carrying cams for operating said controllers in a desired sequence.

9. A filling device comprising a descending conduit, a gate controlling flow of materials along said conduit, a fluid operated motor connected to said gate to operate it in opposite directions between open and closed positions, a hesitation valve connected for operation by said gate and motor between a closed position of the gate into a fully open position of the gate, and closed during an intermediate portion of its travel but open during an initial opening portion of the gate movement, a rotatable cam shaft, a plurality of control valves operated in a selected sequence from said shaft, a pipe connecting the first operated control valve to that side of said motor which causes an opening of the gate and having said hesitation valve in series therein, a pipe connecting another of said control valves to said motor at the same side thereof as said first pipe to bypass the hesitation valve, whereby said motor when operated will first open the gate until stopped by a closing of said hesitation, and then will continue its opening when said another control valve is operated by said cam shaft.

10. A filling device comprising a gate, a motor connected to and operating said gate between open and closed positions, power means controlling said motor and selectively causing opening and closing movements of the gate, a delay device included in said power means to stop the opening movement of the gate by interruption of operation of said power means, and connected to the gate for operation thereby into ga e stopping position when the gate reaches a selected intermediate position in its opening movement, and means for neutralizing the effect of said delay device aselected interval after movement of said gate is stopped in said intermediate position, to enable continued movement of said gate into fully open position.

11. A filling device having a descending conduit for delivering loose solids, which comprises a gate for controlling flow of said materials down said conduit, a fluid operated motor connected to and moving said gate in both directions between open and closed positions, a hesitation valve having a valve element connected to and moving with said gate and motor between closed and fully open positions of the gate, a rotatable cam shaft, a pair of control valves operated in sequence by said shaft during its operation, a source of operating fiuid under pressure connected to each of said control valves, pipes leading from the first of said valves to be operated in a sequence, to the opposite sides of said motor to cause operation of said motor in opposite directions alternately upon successive operations of said first of said valves, said hesitation valve being connected in series in that one of said pipes from said first control valve that causes an opening of said gate and operable by the gate into closed position when the gate reaches an intermediate position in its opening movement, and a pipe connecting the second of said control valves to be operated in said sequence to that side of said motor which causes an opening movement of said gate.

FORREST C. SIMON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 955,606 Moreau Apr. 19, 1910 1,365,541 Rankin Jan. 11, 1921 1,407,333 McConnell Feb. 21, 1922 1,837,765 Dunkley Dec. 22, 1931 1,861,916 Hennebohle June 7, 1932 1,893,471 Hill Jan. 3, 1933 2,120,506 ORourke June 14, 1938 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 798,899 France Mar. 11, 1936 

